THE Grapes was once a haven for weekend drinkers in South Gwynedd when the "dry" Sunday meant most pub doors remained firmly bolted as Welsh nonconformist traditions held sway.

Those days are now long gone but the Grade II listed Grapes, a coaching inn that dates back to the 17th century, has retained much of its character.

The welcome is typical of North Wales; friendly and inviting. I had booked a table for two for a Wednesday evening and arrived half an hour before with Suzannah. The atmosphere inside was a real contrast to the wet and windy weather outside; a log fire was crackling and the welcome from the manager Simon Williams was also very warm.

We ordered a couple of drinks from the bar to give us time to relax and take in the atmosphere.

Once we were ready we were taken to our table in the restaurant, which is in an extension at the rear of the building. The room is well lit and retains the charm of the hotel.

Simon took great care in emphasising the menu varies from week to week to cater for seasonal foods and to take advantage of fresh local produce. The menu was not extensive but did offer plenty of choice.

The waitress was very attentive throughout our meals and provided answers to all our questions – clearly she was well versed in the menu.

The starters included soup of the day, lambs liver, bruschetta with Welsh goats cheese and sweet onion marmalade, or tenderloin of pork with apple chutney. I chose the pork and Suzannah the bruschetta.

Our starters took about 10 minutes to arrive and were beautifully presented. The tenderloin had been coated in a wholegrain mustard and was sliced into six or seven pieces spread around the plate, accompanied by crispy bacon, a green salad and balsamic drizzle. The meat was tender and the overall feel of the dish was certainly of fine dining and was a pleasant surprise.

Suzannah’s bruschetta was equally refined and the marmalade went with it perfectly.

I’d pondered over the mains, which included gammon, scampi, lasagne and tagliatelli , finally choosing sirloin steak, while Suzannah ordered the pan fried mullet with chorizo and thyme risotto.

After such a promising start the mains did not fail to deliver and my steak came medium rare as ordered. Fortunately the peppercorn sauce was to my taste as it had been poured over my steak - usually I prefer the sauce to be provided separately. I can decide where and how much of it goes on my plate.

Suzannah’s mullet was a real treat and the risotto was very tasty, but perhaps the chorizo in it may have provided the dish with a little too much salt. But overall it was well presented and full of flavour.

It was nice to see manager Simon moving among the diners in the restaurant and ensuring their needs were being met, going the extra mile.

I was talked in to having a desert, though Suzannah needed little encouragement.

I had the Baileys and chocolate bread and butter pudding, which was lovely and thankfully not as indulgent as it sounds, while Suzannah had pineapple fritters, which were clearly to her liking.

The food at the Grapes was reasonably priced and exceeded my expectations.

I had arrived with an open mind but was in all honestly expecting good hearty pub grub and to my surprise we received restaurant quality food and service in a comfortable welcoming setting.

On reflection we should probably have taken a taxi and stayed on for a drink or two in the alluring bar, but having enjoyed our evening so much, there will certainly be a next time.